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Category: Personal Pickup

iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus pre-orders began at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time or 3:01 a.m. Eastern Time today, and hours later, shipping estimates for select models have slipped to late September or early October for some models.

Fortunately, if you weren't willing to wake up at those hours or haven't yet pre-ordered for another reason, there's still a chance to get an iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus in your hands when they launch next Friday.

In the United States and other countries where Apple retail stores operate, such as Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, many iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus models remain available for in-store pickup on September 22.

Even if a particular iPhone model isn't estimated to be delivered on launch day, it appears some units will still be reserved for in-store pickup.

An iPhone 8 Plus in Space Gray with 64GB of storage on T-Mobile, for example, is currently estimated to ship in 3-4 weeks on Apple's online store. Yet, the device is available for pickup on September 22 at multiple Apple retail stores.

Once you proceed to the checkout and click the blue "check out" button, select "pick up" and change the store location if necessary. Then click "continue" and select a 30-minute check-in window for your pickup.

If you will be picking up the iPhone personally, enter your phone number. If someone else will be arranging the pickup, enter his or her contact information. The person making the pickup must be carrying a valid photo ID.

Then, proceed with the checkout process as usual. Once payment has been made, wait until you receive a pickup notification email or text message by September 22 before picking up the iPhone. If you don't receive one, call the store.

Since the iPhone is paid for ahead of time, the store should presumably hold the device in its back room until you arrive.

Of course, another option is to simply wait until next Friday and walk into an Apple store, preferably right when they open. You may have to wait in line, but the queues have typically been shorter in recent years.

You can use the pickup tool on Apple's website on launch day to check if stores in your local area have stock, or call the store directly.

All in all, there are more than a few days to ensure you get your new iPhone on launch day, even if you missed the pre-order boat. In fact, select color, storage, and carrier combinations are still available for delivery by September 22.

If you would rather wait for the iPhone X, pre-orders of that device start October 27.

The new 9.7-inch iPad is now available for purchase at select Apple Retail Stores in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan, according to the company's in-store pickup tool enabled today. A handful of stores may have had limited stock already, but supplies now appear ample for Apple to accept reservations.

Apple has yet to activate Personal Pickup in other countries where it operates Apple Retail Stores, including Belgium, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Macao, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.

Nevertheless, in-store stock may be available as early as today in some of those countries as well. Apple said the new 9.7-inch iPad would be available to purchase at select Apple Retail Stores, authorized resellers, and carrier stores by the end of this week in more than 20 countries. Call ahead to check.

Availability of new 9.7-inch iPad in Los Angeles area Apple Stores today

Apple began accepting online orders for the new 9.7-inch iPad on its website last week, with initial orders estimated for delivery between March 31 and April 5 in the United States. Orders placed today are estimated to ship between April 6 and April 14 depending on the shipping method selected.

Apple accepts iPad returns within 14 calendar days of receiving an online order, so some customers that still have a far out delivery date may elect to try their luck in stores, but your mileage may vary. Online orders can also be canceled on Apple's website if they have yet to be processed for shipment.

Apple unveiled the new 9.7-inch iPad last week as a low-cost successor to the iPad Air 2, which has been discontinued. The tablet features a faster A9 chip and brighter Retina display than the iPad Air 2, but it is somewhat thicker and heavier than the iPad Air 2 since it lacks a fully laminated display.

The new 9.7-inch iPad starts at $329 for a 32GB model with Wi-Fi, making it the cheapest new tablet that Apple has ever sold. Apple also offers a 128GB model with Wi-Fi for $429, while cellular-capable 32GB and 128GB models are available for $459 and $559 respectively in Silver, Gold, and Space Gray.